1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination solar battery and roof member and a mounting method of roof the member using it.
2. Related Background Art
Combination solar battery and roof members obviate the need for use of frames and permit great reduction of costs, because mounting work of the solar battery is carried out as part of construction work of the building.
The structure of conventional combination solar battery and roof members is a solar battery module in which a weather-resistant film is used as a protecting member on the front surface side, a reinforcing plate is attached to the back surface without using a frame at the circumference, and the reinforcing plate is processed by plastic working.
The conventional, horizontal-roofing combination solar battery and roof members, however, had the following problems, because junction boxes were present on the back surface of the roof member.
(1) If a problem arises in wiring of the solar battery, it will be impossible to conduct detection and repair. PA1 (2) Since it is necessary to carry out cable connection work at the same time as roofing of the roof member, workers unfamiliar with the solar batteries sometimes omit connection of wiring or conduct erroneous connection. This will result in failing to obtain the expected output because of the wiring, though there is nothing wrong with the combination solar battery and roof members per se. PA1 (3) When one module becomes defective among the solar battery modules after they are mounted, the defective module cannot be found, because it is not possible to measure performance of the solar battery module one by one. PA1 (4) As a problem in mountability, the wiring work with fixing the roof member takes a lot of time, because it is impossible to carry out the wiring work after fixation.
An idea as to the electric connection between solar batteries in the laying form of horizontal-roofing shape is a method for electrically connecting them by use of electrically conductive rubber in overlapping and seam-jointed portions as in the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-31832. This method, however, possibly has problems that connection is permitted only between roof members vertically adjacent to each other, that long-term reliability is doubtful, because the rubber is used for connection between connecting portions required to have strength and hermeticity, that electrical insulation is a little uncertain under wet conditions, and so on.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 6-69527 discloses the invention as to the solar battery module permitting the wiring work even after mounted, but, because it uses a frame member with a space of a pipe shape for passage of wire, it has a problem of increase of cost, a problem of poor appearance, and so on.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 6-140656 describes that connectors enabling to simultaneously effect electrical connection and mechanical connection between upper and lower roof members are placed in a space formed in the seam-jointed portion. However, such connection is possible only between roof panels vertically adjacent to each other. In addition, no consideration is given to check of wiring after mounting.
As described above, strong demands exist for combination solar battery and roof members excellent in flashing, strength, and appearance, adopting the successively and partly overlapping mount form and permitting easy electrical wiring work even after fixation of the roof member.